5 Employment Policies to Review in 2024

Employee handbooks are important tools for establishing employee expectations, addressing workplace issues and defending against potential lawsuits. 如果不定期更新这些手册中的就业政策，雇主可能会面临法律风险和责任, resulting in costly fines, penalties and attorneys’ fees. Employment laws are often complicated, 雇主必须了解可能影响其组织和员工的新法规的发展. 年初为雇主提供了一个很好的机会来审查和更新他们的政策.

1. CROWN Act

In 2023, 许多州和地方颁布了法律，禁止基于与受保护阶层相关的个人头发质地和风格的歧视, such as race. As of September 2023, 23 states had passed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act. Additionally, the U.S. Virgin Islands and more than 40 localities have passed CROWN laws. Many states that have not passed a CROWN Act have filed or pre-filed similar legislation. 皇冠法律通常禁止基于头发质地或保护性发型的歧视，这些发型通常与受保护的特征有关, such as race, national origin and ethnicity. Looking ahead, the U.S. 美国平等就业机会委员会(EEOC)表示，将追究与发质和发型有关的歧视指控.

As many states and localities adopt hair discrimination laws, 雇主必须确保他们的工作场所着装政策是最新的，并符合州和地方法律. 重要的是要审查现有政策，以确保它们能够适应不同的发型，而不是禁止或限制与种族有关的某些发质和发型, national origin and ethnicity. 

2. Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), signed into law on Dec. 29, 2022, became effective on June 27, 2023. Under this law, 拥有至少15名雇员的雇主必须为因怀孕而受到限制的员工提供合理的便利, 分娩或相关疾病，除非住宿会给雇主造成"不适当的困难".” The EEOC has started accepting charges under the PWFA for situations occurring on June 27, 2023, or later.

2024年，声称雇主未能照顾怀孕工人的诉讼数量可能会增加. As such, employers should review and familiarize themselves with this law. 精明的雇主会查看平等就业机会委员会的最终PWFA规定，并考虑在2024年的员工手册中加入一项政策，明确解决PWFA的住宿问题. Moreover, 有远见的雇主将越来越多地与受保雇员和根据《美高美集团4688》要求提供便利的申请人进行互动.

3. Noncompete Agreements

In January 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a rule banning most noncompete agreements. The FTC is expected to vote on this rule in April 2024. Additionally, about six months after the FTC announced its proposed rule, 国家劳动关系委员会表示，大多数竞业禁止协议和竞业禁止协议违反了国家劳动关系法. 许多州也通过了竞业禁止禁令或采取行动确保竞业禁止不能强制执行.

Due to the shifting legislation surrounding these policies, 雇主需要确保他们的竞业禁止协议是根据员工工作的州和地方量身定制的. Moreover, 雇主可以考虑限制或取消竞业禁止协议和政策，以避免潜在的诉讼和不必要的执行障碍. 

4. Form I-9

In 2023, the U.S. 国土安全部(DHS)公民及移民服务局发布了最新的就业资格验证表(表格I-9)和说明. 国土安全部还发布了一项最终规则，将修改机构规定，允许授权替代文件审查程序, such as remote documentation verification and examination. Employers had to start using the new form as of Nov. 1, 2023, to avoid penalties. 遵守I-9表格的要求通常是具有挑战性的，并且给雇主带来了重大的行政负担. Failing to complete and retain Forms I-9 for all employees can be extremely costly. 违反I-9表格通常会导致其他政府机构的额外罚款和处罚. While the required timelines for completing Forms I-9 for employees haven’t changed, 更新后的表格可能会迫使雇主对他们的I-9表格的操作和流程做出一些改变. Therefore, 雇主应熟悉更新后的表格，并制定实施所需更改的计划. 精明的雇主还会培训雇主代表，并与员工就计划的更新进行沟通. Due to the complexities of complying with Form I-9 requirements, employers are encouraged to seek legal counsel to discuss specific issues and concerns.

5. FLSA Overtime and Minimum Wage Exemptions

On Aug. 30, 2023, the U.S. 美国劳工部(DOL)公布了一项拟议规则，修订了现行行政部门的要求, 行政和专业雇员必须满足豁免公平劳动标准法(FLSA)的最低工资和加班要求. With this rule, the DOL proposes increasing the minimum salary level from $684 to $1,059 per week (from $35,568 to $55,068 per year) and from $107,432 to $143,988 per year for highly compensated employees. 该规则还将使劳工部能够每三年自动更新工资水平，而不依赖于规则制定过程. The final overtime rule is expected to be released in April 2024.

不过，在规定公布之前，该提案不会对雇主提出任何新要求, 积极主动的雇主将审查FLSA的拟议规则，并评估保持符合新法律所需的变化. This may include reviewing employee compensation, auditing exempt employees’ job duties and revising workplace policies to ensure compliance. 

Summary

Outdated policies can often expose organizations to unnecessary legal risks. 定期检讨及更新雇佣政策，是雇主保护自己的有效及具成本效益的方法. By understanding the most important rules and regulations to study in 2024, 雇主可以采取措施确保他们的就业政策是最新的，并反映最新的监管发展.

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